After a tumultuous holiday season in 2022 that saw thousands of flight cancellations and delays, most holiday travelers this year experienced a smoother start to their Christmas travels. However, a few trouble spots emerged on Christmas Day, with some disruptions affecting passengers at Chicago's Midway International Airport and Denver International Airport.

According to tracking service FlightAware, as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Christmas Day, approximately 135 flights to, from, or within the U.S. had been canceled, while just over 1,100 flights were delayed. These numbers reflect a relatively low cancellation rate of 1.2% for U.S. flights, the lowest in five years. It is worth noting that nearly 3 million passengers were expected to travel through domestic airports during this busy holiday season, marking a 16% increase compared to the previous year.

Unfortunately, Southwest Airlines, the carrier most disrupted during last year's holiday period, faced challenges once again. Passengers at Chicago's Midway International Airport were left stranded on Christmas Eve, with Southwest attributing the delays to foggy weather. However, passengers also mentioned a shortage of workers as a contributing factor to the disruptions. Denver International Airport experienced similar issues, as Southwest canceled 293 flights and delayed nearly 1,300 trips on Sunday.

Southwest Airlines continued to face difficulties on Monday morning, with 101 flights, or 2% of its daily trips, being canceled and 397 flights delayed. In comparison, Delta and United Airlines only canceled five flights. Frustrated passengers took to social media to express their discontent, with one person posting, "[Y]ou guys ruined my Christmas two years in a row" on X.

In addition to flight disruptions, a winter storm in the Northern Plains added to the holiday travel challenges. The region stretching from northern Kansas through Nebraska, the Dakotas, and parts of Minnesota experienced snow, ice, and riskier road conditions, as reported by the Weather Channel.

Southwest Airlines has previously faced consequences for the disruptions experienced during the holiday season. Earlier this month, the company agreed to a $140 million settlement with the federal government for the chaos that stranded over 2 million travelers last year. Southwest has also committed to paying over $600 million in refunds and reimbursements to customers.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted on December 18, stating, "This is a message to the entire airline industry: They must take care of passengers, or we'll use the full extent of our authority to hold them accountable."

While holiday travel this year showed improvements compared to the previous year, some air travelers faced difficulties due to weather conditions and airline disruptions. The ongoing challenges faced by Southwest Airlines highlight the need for the entire airline industry to prioritize passenger satisfaction and ensure smoother travel experiences during peak seasons.